At the construction site.

A middle-aged man was smoking a cheap cigarette, sweating profusely while working.

He had been working like this on the construction site for many years.

But now, the middle-aged man was struggling a bit with the work.

The foreman came over, looked at the middle-aged man, and said, "I'll settle your wages today. You don't have to come tomorrow; your body is no longer suited for this work. You don't even have the strength left. How can you work?"

The middle-aged man used to be quite strong; otherwise, he wouldn't have been on the construction site for over a decade.

But more than half a year ago, the middle-aged man fell at the site and broke some bones, even shattered a toe, and had a long recovery period.

Misfortunes never come singly, and during those six months of rest without earning, his wife picked fights every day.

Even the three children kept calling him a useless person, saying he couldn't earn money and was good for nothing.

Then, during one argument, his wife said it was fortunate that the three kids weren't his; otherwise, they'd be unlucky their whole lives with him.

The middle-aged man was furious and went for a paternity test....

He discovered that none of the three kids were his.

So... arguments, divorce, lawsuits followed....

The first and second trials had already concluded.

The second trial awarded the middle-aged man's car and house to his ex-wife.

Those were the car and house he had bought outright!

He was also ordered to pay his ex-wife tens of thousands in emotional damages...

Besides all this, he even had to transfer child support monthly for those three kids.

But the middle-aged man didn't even have any money on him...

He didn't even have money for food.

So he's been working on the construction site during this time, trying to earn some.

The work he used to be able to do, he can't handle now due to his body.

The foreman took pity on him and kept him on to work.

The middle-aged man's name was Wang Zhihao.

Wang Zhihao sighed and said, "Brother Zhao, let me keep working. My body can still handle it. You can pay me less daily, just let me keep working here."

The foreman handed Hai Jinping a cigarette, saying, "Old Wang, it's not that I don't want you to work here, it's just that your body can't handle it. If something happens on-site, we can't afford to pay that compensation, and the site can't take that risk. I hope you understand. Your body is better suited to other work, or maybe take some more rest..."

Wang Zhihao said, "Brother Zhao, I'm really out of options, out of money...."

The foreman said, "But weren't you easily making fifteen thousand a month before? What happened to the money? Haven't you saved a penny?"

Wang Zhihao shook his head, "After marriage, every month, I transferred my money to my ex-wife. I earned fifteen thousand a month and handed over fourteen thousand five, leaving only five hundred for smoking and pocket money..."

"I've worked for over a decade. Even if I saved forty thousand a year, I should've saved fifty or sixty thousand over ten years."

"But when I asked my ex-wife for money, she said she gave it to her brother to buy a house, saying helping her brother is her duty, it's only natural."

"You know how things turned out in the end, Brother Zhao."

The foreman patted Wang Zhihao on the shoulder.

Who could endure this?

After being married for over a decade and raising three children, only to find out none of them are yours.

Anyone in his position would find it hard to accept, right?

It's bad enough that the kids aren't his own...

But these three kids have no affection at all for him; instead, they curse him daily and speak ill of him, acting like ungrateful brats.

Wang Zhihao sued in court, but without money for a lawyer, he lost the case completely.

The second trial concluded.... The second trial is essentially the final one.

The three kids always hated Wang Zhihao...

Not even biologically his, yet Wang Zhihao still had to pay monthly support.

And the key thing is, the house and car were all bought by Wang Zhihao with his own money before marriage...

But they ended up being awarded entirely to his ex-wife.

Now his ex-wife is living with another man in the house Wang Zhihao bought outright.

Wang Zhihao looked at the court's verdict... and was helpless.

His phone was filled with messages from his ex-wife.

His ex-wife was urging Wang Zhihao to pay this month's child support again.

The child support for three kids was over four thousand yuan a month....

Wang Zhihao was living in the house, but his ex-wife kicked him out.

Wang Zhihao was driving a car worth a few tens of thousands...

But his ex-wife still wanted him to return the car to her.

Wang Zhihao refused, so his ex-wife used the verdict to argue...

His ex-wife even said, if he didn't return the car, he could sell it and transfer three thousand yuan instead.

Otherwise, she would seek court enforcement.

Wang Zhihao smoked every day...

Two yuan a pack cigarettes, smoking five packs a day.

His life… was complete darkness, with no future in sight.

Wang Zhihao was forty years old this year.

A forty-year-old man could still have hope to marry again and have children.

But Wang Zhihao had nothing left...

No money....

Moreover, Wang Zhihao had lost his spirit.

He had to pay a monthly child support of four thousand, so who would want to marry him?

The foreman said, "Well, there's no way around it, let me find you another job. The security in our community needs someone; you could go, but the salary is a bit low... might not cover your support payments."

Wang Zhihao said, "It's okay, thank you, Brother Zhao. I'll do anything. As long as I can afford to eat, that's enough..."

The foreman said, "I'll help by asking for help online as well; I know something about that. If your story spreads, maybe someone will help. By the way, how's that lawyer you found? I heard Lawyer Gu was helping you with the case...."

Wang Zhihao shook his head, "Lawyer Gu has been busy, though I contacted him... he didn't say when he would help with the case. Even if he helps, I feel indebted; I don't have money, how can I afford a lawyer?"

"If I could have hired a lawyer earlier, the lawsuit wouldn't have turned out so bad...."

Wang Zhihao felt embarrassed to approach Gu Chen.

Besides, the case... the second trial had concluded.

Even if I find a lawyer now, what good would it do?

Wang Zhihao sighed, "It's hopeless, Brother Zhao. The second trial concluded, and I've appealed once. Can I still appeal again? The ruling results can't be changed...."

The foreman said, "There's no way around it, but reach out to Lawyer Gu again. If even he can't help, there aren't many who can help."

The foreman said, "Then contact him later, take a good rest, and I'll spread the word about your situation online."

Wang Zhihao looked at the foreman, who was so kind to him.

With a thud.

Wang Zhihao knelt on the ground.

"Brother Zhao, I can't go on living...."

"Thank you so much, Brother Zhao..."

The foreman hurriedly helped Wang Zhihao up, saying, "We're brothers, why kneel? We help each other when in need, and if Lawyer Gu can help, maybe there's still a turn for the better."

"I know some lawyers too, but once they heard the second trial concluded, none wanted to help."

"I'm not well-versed in law, but I've heard even if the second trial concludes, there's still a chance, and if anyone can help, it'd be Lawyer Gu...."

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